Sunday, July 03, 2011

He's Been Waiting for This Day

Pardon the blurry shot--we had the
flash turned off.

...and so have I.

Little Brother has wanted to be an altar server for oh, so long. He was a toddler when Big Brother began altar-serving, and even though TheDad sat with him waaaaaaaaaay in the back of the church and I was up front with the musicians, I'd hear Little Brother at Consecration time: "Big Brother's ringing the bells!"

At the end of Mass, the altar servers would process to the back of the church, where Father would leave the procession and the servers would turn the corner and go down the side aisle to the front, leave the cross in the sacristy and then proceed to put away the altar linens. It wasn't long before Little Brother joined that parade, and the "Hat Lady" would allow him to put the finger towels into the laundry hamper in the sacristy. She had her eye on him; no, not just the eye that watched over the altar servers and made sure they served reverently, but the one that paid attention to children in church who seemed to have more than the usual spark of interest.

Middle Sister has been serving for several years now--so many years that she's just about outgrown the longest altar-server robe the church has. And Little Brother has wanted to serve. He asked, at the beginning of this school year, only to be told that he should wait until fourth grade. Well, third grade is over and this morning he came running down the stairs to see if he can be an altar server now.

"You can ask Father about that when we get to church," I told him, making no promises.

When we arrived, we saw that the pastor was not assigned to our Mass today--instead, it was the assistant, who thought it would be just fine if Little Brother served. So Middle Sister helped him find a robe in the right size and showed him all the ropes, including how to carry the cross in the entrance procession. He did quite well for his first day, and after the closing prayer Father H announced to everyone that it was Little Brother's first day as an altar server.

He's eager to do it again. I'm grateful that Father H did not brush him off but instead encouraged and allowed him to serve. And how cool is it that he got his "on the job training" from Middle Sister?

About Me

Peace and all good

While we have time, let us do good.

What is the SFO?

The Secular Franciscan Order, formerly known as the Third Order of St. Francis, is an official Order within the Catholic Church, and was established by St. Francis of Assisi early in the thirteenth century. Members do not live in community, but live their everyday lives in the world. However, members gather together in fraternity on a regular basis. By profession, they promise to follow a Rule of Life approved and confirmed by Pope Paul VI in June of 1978.

In these fraternities the brothers and sisters, led by the Spirit, strive for perfect charity in their own secular state.

“The rule and life of the Secular Franciscan is this: to observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following Saint Francis of Assisi, who made Christ the inspiration and the center of his life with God and people.” (from the Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order)

My Pocket Rosary

Today's pocket rosary is for: my husband and children;
the repose of the souls of Uncle Pat, Mary M, OFS, Martha K, OFS, Eileen S, OFS, and Mark H;for my old friend and musical co-conspirator PJ;for the intentions of the Holy Father;Michelle's brother-in-law, deployed to Iraq,and for his family;Denise's son who is serving our country in the Middle East;all my OFS brothers and sisters; and the intentions of all who read this blog.

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2013 Spiritual Mission

Chosen for the year ahead at our annual Extraction of Saints
My patron saint: Saint Anthony of Padua
Virtue to develop: Piety
Maxim to follow: "Live always in truth, that you may die in obedience."
Praying for the intentions of: Sister Julia, OSF

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Writing because I love it

Prayer for a Prolife Nation

Father in Heaven, bless the leaders of our nation with wisdom, humility, and upright moral character. May our leaders know that justice can only be achieved when we uphold the principal priority of the Right to Life. Give to our public servants the grace to make decisions that are appropriate to their office. Allow them to be humble before all people, by serving the needs of the citizens, not just with words, but most importantly with actions. Lord, as nations experience division due to political fighting, give to citizens the grace to be peacemakers, to take responsibility for their own lives, and to try and work together for the good of all. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
--Father Leo Patalinghug at Grace Before Meals